I Belong to You second version
by Alba aka Luthien Miriel
Summary: MY ONLY LOVE SPRANG FROM MY ONLY HATE. we were enemies by blood - lovers by fate. this is the second time I write this story. it's a hrd. the war has broken out, herm and draco are stuck in the heart of the forbidden forest... CHAPTER TWO UP!
1. Chapter 1: Back Again

I Belong to You

By Alba, a fanatic Draco/Hermione shipper

My only love sprang from my only hate

We were enemies by blood – lovers by fate

Title: I Belong to You

Author: Alba

Main characters: D_raco Malfoy, Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, OC_

Summary: MY ONLY LOVE SPRANG FROM MY ONLY HATE (I know I haven't invented this). 'We were enemies by blood – lovers by fate'. While everything forbids a love story between Hermione and Draco, opposites attract each other, and scary nights in the Forbidden Forest may change the course of time… I suck at summaries, sorry.

A/N: Right, I'm rewriting it AGAIN. No, no reason to worry. I just wasn't satisfied with the first version, and anyhow, nobody reviewed L. So I hope you're going to like this version better.No, I don't own any character so far… they're the property of JK Rowling, as we all know. I don't know why I'm even writing this note. The characters will be treated right, though, and will be returned in perfect state. READ AND REVIEW, giving me therefore a reason to live!!!

Chapter 1- Back Again

From Hermione Granger's point of view

I was but sixteen when the greatest war the magical world had ever seen broke out. When I look back at this cruel, bloodthirsty, but on the other hand magically blissful time, I wonder at my innocence. If I had had the experience repeated blows have given to me, perhaps I would have had the strength to change my fate and award myself with a better life, together with the man I loved, love still now – and will always love. But all these thoughts confuse me; I want to revive the moments that characterize this memorable year in chronologic order.

It was the second day of school of my sixth year at Hogwarts. All the students were sitting in the great dining room, classified into their houses. I remember how our number had diminished. About eighty of us had left the school, seeking for refuge in more remote parts of the world. Lavender Brown and Seamus Finnigan had left, for instance. The Creevey brothers. Crabbe and Goyle, strangely. And some more, which have no importance in the tale I am going to put in the picture. Those who had stayed were unexplainably changed. All my friends had a look of unease mixed with fear on their faces. I couldn't blame them – if anyone had been watching and describing _my _expression, it would have been no better. I was afraid, too. Am I to be blamed? After all, how many times in a lifetime do you hear that the greatest world the magical world has ever witnessed has broken out? Once at the most. Does this sound cheesy? It didn't to me when I heard it, trust me.

Among all those frightened and hushed people, only one stayed calm – Harry. He was oddly serene. But his coolness didn't soothe me – far from it. If possible, it scared me still more. It was as if a veil had fallen over his usually so vivid and expressive face. Bad sign.

The dining room looked particularly beautiful this day. The ceiling represented a baby blue sky, lit up by a bright sun, threatened by an upcoming storm. All of Hogwarts had seemed an apogee of solemn beauty to me, when I had arrived with the train the day before. I had looked up at it in awe and retraced its towering shape, black against the sky where the dying sun set peach-colored rays. It's like this that I remember my school now – looking so beautiful in the darkening sky.

But I'm divagating – I get lost in painful memories.

We were eating peacefully, though no one seemed to be particularly hungry. Even the Slytherins were silent, forgetting to laugh at the others. I remember having a quick glance at Malfoy, and seeing his almost worried expression. It struck me as exceptionally weird.

Dumbledore claimed our attention by standing up and clearing his throat. Immediately, the few whispers that had broken the grave silence died out.

"Dear students," Dumbledore started calmly. "I have only a few words to say. I present my apologies for not offering you a more cheerful welcome. We all know what hard epoch our world is going through, and how deeply it will affect even our everyday life. Unfortunately, I can't assure your safety any more. I can't promise to you that you will live to wake up tomorrow. But I'll do my best, and this I vow. If I can't protect you well enough, I will teach you to do it yourself – and this is why Hogwarts hasn't been closed this year, on the eve of a deadly war. Many of us are still assembled here, because we believe that we can change the course of time. Because we can learn, and fight back with this knowledge. I'm proud of all those who are here today. So welcome," he said, spreading his arms, "to another year at Hogwarts."

There was a moment of silence. Then the whole room broke into enthusiastic applause.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Ginny breaking into tears, Ron struggling to keep his expression poised, Harry as inexpressive as before, still, motionless, and Malfoy with an expression that I could not identify then. Now, that I have learned to know him, I understand that the two opposite sides were fighting in him. 

Half an hour later, we were still sitting around, sipping the last droughts of water, eating the last mouthfuls of rice as slowly as possible, to extend this peaceful and friendly moment. Presently Professor Dumbledore stood up again, and said clearly:

"I believe Professor McGonagall has something to tell you as well."

Our teacher wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. She too had been touched by the Headmaster's speech, and had not so quickly recovered from it. As I saw her, leaning on her chair, getting help from Professor Snape to stand up, I thought she looked much older than last year.

"My dear children," she said, much to my surprise (I don't remember her having ever employed such words before) "I can't explain my gratitude towards those who have had the loyalty – and courage – to come back to Hogwarts this year. I shall spare you long, boring speeches, and will resume mine in a few words. For this year, we have programmed to focus on teaching you to cohabit in peace and amity, in order to prevent such a war to ever happen again." Here, I had the depressive thought 'what if there's no world for a war to have place in?' but my attention was distracted by Professor McGonagall. "Therefore, we have decided that all of you will live for one month in the core of the Forbidden Forest. But this is not all. You shall have tents and commodities, and will lack of little comforts. But the main point is that one person from every house will be present in each tent, as long as this is possible. Therefore, I trust that you will look at the board at my right (she pointed towards it) where your placements are indicated. Thank you."

Polite applause followed, but now we were all curious and wished nothing more than to get up and see who we were with. I had intensely wished I could be with Harry, Ron and Ginny, but since Mrs. McGonagall had specified there would be one from each house in every tent, I had little hope. Still, I did not expect _this_.

"Come, people," Ron had said. "Let's go and have a look at this famous board."

We had to stand in queue and push students to do so, but in the end, we succeeded. My eyes scanned the lists nervously. Suddenly Ginny cried out:

"Oh, Mione, what misfortune!"

I turned around, and saw her pointing at my name. Above it stood the inscription 'tent 26B' and below it, the names 'Luna Lovegood' (joy!), a name I did not know ('Gabriel Hopkins') and… I held back my breath.

"Malfoy!" Ginny screamed.

I couldn't believe it. I wanted to sink to my knees and vanish. Anything, but Malfoy! One month in a tent with _Malfoy_! What had I done to deserve this?

"Oh!" I could say only this, and then I buried my face in Harry's shoulders.

"It's making _me_ very happy, Granger," said a voice from behind me. "How much fun we're going to have! A mudblood, a lunatic, a hippie, and me. Could it be any better?"

I raised my eyes and, of course, met Malfoy's icy grey ones. Pansy Parkinson, who hung from his arm, had broken into a hysterical laughter that sounded like the bleating of a particularly stupid sheep. I wondered what Malfoy saw in her – she couldn't be dumber, and wasn't precisely a beauty either. Then again, it was not like Malfoy was the man of my dreams. As usually, he had his hair slicked back, but it seemed to me that it was less slimy than usually. Nothing in his face had altered – he still had the same pointed chin and aquiline nose, the same high cheekbones and thin eyebrows. Actually, he was annoyingly handsome, as I had noticed before, but there was something in his face that I hated so much, that I couldn't feel attracted towards him. It was so unfair, that someone so evil, so cold, so hard, could be standing in front of me, looking like a cherub. 

Presently, he had an eyebrow arched, and his eyes had turned into chips of ice with hatred.

"We'll get along really well, won't we, Mudblood?" he said sarcastically. "If you keep observing me for hours without saying a word, I think everything's going to be OK."

I turned away, furious, and decided to ignore him the best I could. Fortunately, he stopped persecuting me after this. I looked at Harry – he was standing still in front of the board, staring at it.

"Who are you with?" I asked.

"Michael Corner, Pansy Parkinson, and a certain Cassandra Malfoy."

"Cassandra _Malfoy_?" I repeated.

Sounded pretty much like Malfoy's sister, except that I hadn't known there was one.

Presently, Malfoy whirled on his heels and looked at Harry intently. Color rose to his pale cheeks, and he hissed:

"Don't dare to harm her out of hatred for me, Potter. If you talk to her – lay a hand on her – upset her, I swear, you're a dead man."

Harry needed a couple of seconds to make up an answer.

"Didn't you threaten me once before like this? When have you ever kept your word?"

I bit my lips, not too content that they were already having a fight.

"Blame me for not becoming a murderer?" Malfoy laughed bitterly. "For learning from my own mistakes? Potter, I declare, you're the dumbest person on earth. Don't ask me why – look into a mirror. But I'm serious now. If you dare to do _anything_ to my sister – I'm not responsible for my acts." Then he spun around again, and was about to walk away.

"So she _is_ your sister?" I couldn't help saying.

"Yes."

"Why didn't she ever come to Hogwarts before?"

He was still turning his back to me, but I could see the muscles in the back of his neck contracting, and his fists clenching. Then he looked at me, his eyes throwing darts.

"She isn't a witch."

There was a defying expression on his face – he challenged me to laugh, to make a spiteful joke. But I didn't say a word.

So there were two of them now.

The year couldn't be starting better.

A/N: so what did you think? I don't know how many times I've re-written this story… I think this is going to be way less dark than "Into the Dark". I'd appreciate reviews, lol. So please tell me what you think of. Flames will be used to light the embers in my chimney. Compliments will be used to lift my ego. J

Love,

~Alba


	2. Chapter 2: Cassandra

**A/N: Me again! Sorry it took sooooo long, but I just felt discouraged because like always, nobody reviews my stories! I don't know what's wrong with them, I really work hard on them… ****L**** oh well, it's Christmas, and I'm gonna be all happy, happy! So I posted this new chapter – hopefully it's gonna answer to your questions.**

**Thanks to all the sweet people who reviewed! Getting reviews is the best thing ever!**

**OK, enjoy now.**

**PS: just watched ROTK (return of the king) it rocks!! But my favorite part – the one where Eowyn and Faramir get together – hasn't been filmed! ****L**** now you've got to write lots of reviews to cheer me up… **

**PPS: when will I ever learn to make my A/Ns shorter???**

Chapter 2 – Cassandra

Next day, we had the pleasure to encounter Miss Cassandra Malfoy, on her respectable brother's arm. At that time, I thought that of course, the pleasure was relative. And let's not discuss what I thought about the 'respectable brother'.

She was not even a Slytherin, as I found out at breakfast. She was a Hufflepuff. Quite strange, for a Malfoy. I didn't see her face at that time, though, only her back. I noticed the striking lack of similarity between her and Malfoy a bit later. Harry and I were running towards the Transfiguration room – we were almost late. But then I glimpsed Malfoy, and braked abruptly. Harry bumped into me, and groaned a complaint.

"What is it?" he asked.

I myself didn't know exactly why I had stopped, so I baffled something senseless. It was then that he said:

"Look – who's this?"

Indeed, a young girl was walking beside Malfoy. She was quite petite, and dressed in immaculate white, not the usual uniform. Her features were very similar to Malfoy's, but something essential differentiated them. They were both blonde, but while his hair had gleaming golden and silvery highlights, hers was matte and curled in angel curls. They were both pale, but Malfoy's cheeks had a healthy, rosy blush and a natural shine, while his sister looked almost sickly. They had exactly the same features, the same aquiline nose, the same square jaw, the same high cheekbones, the same elegant forehead… but somehow, the girl's evanescent, ethereal expression ruined the resemblance. After my musings, I came to the deduction that their looks couldn't have been more opposite.

Malfoy noticed my glance on them, and frowned.

"What's the matter with you, Granger?" he hissed.

"Is that your sister?" I asked, ignoring his remark.

His face softened a bit.

"Yes."

"Hey" I said to her. "I'm Hermione Granger."

She nodded thoughtfully, and clasped my extended hand in her icy fingers, but she didn't reply.

"What's your name?" I asked.

"Cassandra."

I was about to ask something else, when I noticed it wasn't her who had informed me. Nor had it been Malfoy. So it was Harry. But how the hell had Harry known the Malfoy girl's name?

She was presently staring at him, as was Malfoy. While her eyes expressed sudden understanding, as a vision had revealed itself to her, his visage was grimmer than ever – frowning, facing Harry with possessiveness.

"Yes." She confirmed. "And you are Harry Potter, I suppose."

He nodded, and shook her hand. I noticed that his' was trembling, for no visible reason. I met Malfoy's questioning glance, and shrugged. This seemingly reminded him who Harry and I were, and he pushed his sister away. 

"Let's not waste our time with the Dream Team." He said harshly.

Then I told Harry that it was late.

"Yes." He muttered, but he did not tear his eyes away. Somehow, I felt that I was missing something.  I still didn't completely understand who this new Malfoy girl was. Malfoy, pulling his sister behind him, disappeared around the corner. The girl turned her head for the briefest of moments, and smiled to Harry. There was some understanding between the two of them which I could not comprehend. 

"Harry?" I said.

"Yes?" he replied in a dreamy voice.

"What do you know of this girl?"

"Um. Nothing. I just – remember her name from the message board."

"Ah."

I was sitting in the common room with Harry, Ron and Ginny. The Weasleys were muttering complaints about the people they would have to share their tents with. I was desperately trying to skim through Two Dozens of New Herbs, but I couldn't concentrate with all the noise. I looked at Harry, who was distractedly gazing out of the window.

Then I remember that we were in war.

It was hard to believe, that I was sitting there, trying to study, and that the worst thing my companions had to complain about were their places in tents. While people would soon be dying outside Hogwarts.

I decided I needed a bit of solitude, and walked out of the common room. As I crossed an arcade, I noticed that the sun was falling. I stopped to admire the rude beauty of the landscape. Nowhere else, I thought, did the dry grass, the rugged hill and, the marshy moors possess such a romantic, battered beauty. I painfully tore myself away from this image of rough splendor, and headed towards the Astronomy Tower. 

The long, winding stairs didn't seem endless this time. In fact, I enjoyed running my fingers over the smooth surface of the stony wall while I lightly climbed up. From time to time, a narrow, glassless window allowed me to contemplate the landscape. I couldn't believe that I would certainly be forced to leave the school that had become my second home, if He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named dared to attack it, to threaten innocent children. I stepped out on the balcony. The evening star was already shining brightly in the darkening sky, which was a brilliant royal blue. I took a deep breath of the pure evening air. Walking towards the edge to lean on it and observe nightfall over Hogwarts, I noticed that I had been preceded, and that my place had been taken. From the petite dimensions of the intruder's shape, I deduced it had to be a girl, but little did I await the person I met. The girl turned around, and graced me with a graceful smile. I recognized Cassandra Malfoy's face, but it seemed to me that it had been strangely altered by dusk. Somehow, the whole yellowish sickliness had disappeared from her wholesome features. It seemed to me that I had never seen sweeter features, never purer hues of rose and lily. No charm was wanting in this youthful countenance, no defect perceptible. She had regular and delicate lineaments, huge, almond-shaped grey eyes framed by long golden lashes, a penciled brow, a white, smooth forehead, fresh, smooth and rosy cheeks, ruddy, healthy, sweetly formed lips which revealed even and gleaming teeth without flaw, a small, dimpled chin, and waist-long pale golden curls. As if brought by the sunset, her sickly paleness of the morning had been replaced by a radiant flush in her oval cheeks. I wondered at her white dress, which looked like a nightgown, and asked myself why she wasn't wearing the normal Slytherin robes.

"Hello." She said simply, turning her beautiful face towards me. "You're Hermione Granger."

I nodded.

"I remember. And Draco told me." She explained. "You're a mudblood, right?"

The look of innocence on her face made it hard for me to be angry, but I answered irritated:

"I don't call myself like this."

She spread her slender arms in excuse.

"I meant no offence." She said softly. I noticed how musical and silvery her voice was, and felt at once calmed despite my will.

"But mudblood _is_ an insult." I answered stubbornly.

"I didn't know. Draco calls you so. I thought he merely meant someone who is not born to wizards." She smiled, apologizing. "There is much I don't know. But probably, I won't need it."

"How do you mean that?" I asked.

"I don't have any active magical powers." Cassandra said calmly. "I'll go home to Malfoy Manor as soon as the war is over, for the better or for the worse."

"You don't? But – both your parents are wizards."

She nodded, still smiling in her strange, impersonal way.

"I can't say a single spell." She explained. "But I can see into the future. This is my gift, the only my frail mortal flesh can bear."

I suppose I made a disgusted or shocked face after this, because Cassandra's smile broadened, and she whispered:

"Isn't the reaction that my speech awakened in you a sort of prejudice as well? But don't worry – as you bear me no grudge, nor will I. I do not intend to make myself sworn enemies with you as my brother obviously is – I seek only peace in this place."

"Why did you come, if you don't have the gift?"

Cassandra didn't answer, and bowed her head in front of an invisible order.

"I fear I cannot tell you this, for my brother has forbidden me to do so."

I wondered why so, and what terrible secret had chased the poor girl from home. My innate curiosity urged me to inquire further about the reasons for her escape from Malfoy Manor, but I hesitated seeing the slightly frightened shine in her huge eyes.

"How old are you?" I therefore asked, reflecting that this was quite an innocent and harmless question to ask.

"Fifteen."

I suppose that my expression again betrayed my feelings, for she obviously read the surprise in my face.

"You look surprised." She commented. "Do I not look like my age?"

"No." I admitted. "You look longer – much younger - and yet…"

She smiled again, waiting for me to finish the sentence, but I couldn't. I then asked her:

"What house are you in?"

"None, yet. This is why I'm not wearing the official robes. But I have generously been allowed to spend the night in the Slytherin dormitory with girls of my age."

"Why were you all alone up here?"

"Which part of the question should I answer first? The one regarding the place; or the one regarding the solitude?"

"The place."

"I like this tower. I felt irresistibly attracted towards it when I first visited the school - that is, almost six years ago. Coming back, I decided to come here."

"And now the solitude?" I demanded.

"I don't enjoy foreign company. Don't be offended, Hermione, though. It is nothing personal. I just know that I am different, and that I cannot entertain the others. Therefore, I seek privacy."

"You entertain me quite well." I muttered, wondering if I should leave her alone now.

"You would soon get tired of me, as I have nothing interesting to tell you about myself." She said smilingly. 

"I wouldn't!" I protested stubbornly, perhaps hoping that she might agree to spend a bit of time telling me about her certainly interesting life.

"In this case," she answered, pushing up my hopes, "you are of course welcome to join me whenever you wish, if this should please you."

"No. I don't like disturbing the others, just as you don't like talking to others."

Most to my surprise, Cassandra Malfoy nodded thoughtfully, and bid me "goodnight, in this case." I retired, having waved briefly, and went down to the dining room, quite confused about my new acquaintance.

In the stairs, I had the misfortune of bumping into the most disagreeable person of the entire school (excluding Snape) – Malfoy _in persona_. He squeaked of disgust, and pushed me away abruptly. Then he frowned, and rudely asked what I was doing here at this time of the night.

"Hiding from you and your bad manners, Malfoy." I snapped back. "I thought – hoped – that this was the most unlikely place to meet you."

"Bad luck! Now get out of my way, filthy mudblood."

What a nice relationship we kept up! As I watched Malfoy junior climb up the steep stairs, his black cape flying after him, I stopped a moment to marvel at the difference of personality between the siblings. It was hardly believable that a person as obviously innocent, naïve, ignorant and sweet as Cassandra could actually be the sister of someone hard, mean and coldly intelligent as Draco Malfoy. 

A/N: SO??? What did you think? Yep, I know it was kind of sappy at some parts, and maybe cliché. But actually, that's really how I feel about Cassie, so I actually liked this chap. Well yeah, there's a bit of narcissism in everyone of us…

Do you see this tiny blue button? The one that says 'GO'? Come on, click on it… you know you want it!

Love,

~Alba


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